Automobile-signal.



G. W. BARRI'NGER.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1913. I

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-$113M 1.

W/TIVE88E8 INVENTQR A TTORNEVS G. W. BARRINGER. AUTUMOBILE SIGNAL.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1913.

Patented NOV. 24, 1914.

x m: 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 1

WITNESSES Aria/mm GEORGE WilSI-EINGTGN BARRINGER, O33 LAWFJBENCE, NEVFYORK.

.AUTGldOBILE-SIGIIAL.

Application filed Jun 4, 1913. Serial No. 23 1,6153

To all whom it may concern:

c it known that 1, Greece V7. Blin- RINGER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Lawrence, in the county of Nassau and Stateof. New York, have'invented a new and Improved Automobile- Signal, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in signal devices forautomobiles, and has for an object to provide an improved struc tureadapted to be operated from the seat of an automobile and when sooperated will throw out or move out an arm to one side at the rear ofthe automobile.

- A further object of the invention .is to provide an improvedautomobile signal arranged at the rear of the automobile and formed sothat when the arm is thrown out various lamps will be lighted in orderto light up the arm and provide a visual signal to any one in-the rear.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automobilesignal adapted to be operated from the seat of the automobile while thesignal arm is arranged at the rear of the automobile, the same beingassociated with a plurality of lights having a tell.- tale at the frontof the automobile for indicating to the operator theposition of thesignal arm and other signal'devices.

' lvenient point.

In carrying out the objects of. the invention, a signal arm and signallights with suitable operating mechanism are provided which are adaptedto be positioned on the rear of the body of an automobile. Operatingmeans are connected to the arm and other devices which extend to thefront of the automobile in order that the arm may be operated by thefoot and the lights may be controlled by suitable switches at. a con- Anoperating member extends from the arm to an operating lever at the frontso that the same may be quickly operated at any time. In addition to theoperating, lever at the front, a connection is provided between theoperating rod or member and the brake treadle whereby when the braketreadle is depressed the signal arm will be raised.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in whichsimilar characters of reference in dicate corresponding parts in alltheviews.

Figure 1 is a side view of an automobile Specification of LettersPatent.

with an embodiment of the invention ap plied thereto, certain parts ofthe automobile being shown broke. Fig 2 section through the line 6G; T a"ial tical section through part of a guiding rod disclosing the armcontrolling hang; l

8 is a fragmentary sectional v ew throu n a portion of a Bowden wireower t mission; and Fig. 9 a diagram showin' the arrangement and wiringof the l embodying certain features of i tion. a

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates anautomobile of kind provided with a signal box or housing containing asignal arm, sign-a lights, and various other associated devices. Thesignal arm operated by a Bowden wire 3 which extends to a point adjacentthe seat of the automobile and is connected with a pivotally mountedlever at. in Fig. 8 the Bowden wire 3 is disclosed in which a stationarytube 5 shown through which the I a wire 6 is adapted to move back andforth,

the wire 6 being connected. to a guiding tube H in any suitable way, asfor instance by l the fillingblock or lug S. The lever is connected withthe sleeve or tube 7 and is moved back and forth thereby so as to shiftthe position of the wire 6 and consequently to actuate the arm 9 andassociated parts hereinafter fully described. The lever 4 is pivoted at10 to a suitable plate 11 secured to the body of the automobile near theseat 12. The lever i is provided with an arm 13 to which is connected aspring 1% for resiliently holding the arm 13 in its raised position.Pivotally connected to the arm l3 is a foot treadle or member 15 formedwith a notch 16 adapted to engage the plate 11 in order to be locked ina lowered position and consequently hold the lever s in a forwardposition and the arm 9 (Fig. 5) in a raised or elevated position. Whenit is not convenient, and when it practically impossible to depress thetreadle 15, the foot may be applied to the usual brake treadi s c e Tand not only will the brake be app'led but .power will be transmitted toa chain or her may be ope ated independently of the treadle 17, buttreadle 17' cannot be operated independently of the lever whereby thearm will be positively raised whenever the brake is applied.

The .mechanism just described is required in order to properly operatethe signal arm 9 at proper times. The signal arm 9 is pivotally mountedon a shaft 19 (Fig. 5) in the housing 3 and operates in a compartment20. When not in use the arm 9 moves pivotally downward into thecompartment 20, but when set at danger the same is swung from thecompartment 20 to the position shown in Fig. lhe arm 9 is provided withan insulating block 21 of any desired material, and is so positioned onthe arm 9 as to engage a spring 22 and force the same-against a springpost 23. The spring 22 acts as a. binding post through which current isadapted to pass as well as post 23 so that when the arm 5) is raised asshown in Fig. 5, current will pass from one post to the other andthrough a suitable circuit shown in Fig. 9 hereinafter t'ully described.the circuit including various lamps arranged in the housing 2 and in thehousingrl at or near the front of the automobile. Arranged adjacent thearm 9 is a tubular e.\' tension 25 provided with lens 26 through whichthe rays of light from the lamp 1 may be projected against the arm 9when in a raised position. This is of advantage a night for disclosingthe position of the arm to any one in the rear. In addition to providingthese means for disclosing the prerence of the automobile and themowzaents thereof, a plate 28 is provided in iront oi.

chamber 25) formed with the word htop arranged thereon in coloredletters. The chamber 29 is provided with a reflecting member 3() forreflecting the light from the lamps 31 and through the word Stop? orother word provided on the plate-2S. By providing a swinging arm andalso a light. two signals are presented which supplement each other'forclearly indicating the drivers intention. It is very desirable to havethe swinging arm and light for lighting the same in addition to thelight signal, as i. rougn weather when riding in the country the sign inthe upright case which-is a light signal will sometimes become coveredwith mud. This will obliterate or hide to grrater or less extent the upight or liglil signal so that the lighted swinging arm rt mains forindicating the intention of the driver. The lamps 27 and the lamps illand 3%? are on independent circuits coiitrolh-d ov any desired kind ofsnap switches 33 and Iii arranged in the housing A telltale lamp isprovided in the housing 2% and is connected with the circuit closedwhenever the springs 22 and 23 are brought into contact. In this way thetelltale lamp will shine through a window 36 whenever the arm 9 is atdanger. Connected with one of the buttons of the switches 33 and 3% arearms 37 and 38 herring covers or shields 39 and 40 designed to cover attimes windows 41 and i2.

l or instance, when switch is closed, cur rent will pass from a suitablesource of supply to lamp 2? so as to light the arm 9. This fact will betold or indicated by light the lamp shining through window re cover l0being removed. at the time itch-carrying member 38 is depressed. rringmore particularly to Fig. 9, the circuits for the various lamps andswitches "will be oaserved wherein it will be seen that when spring 32brought into contact with spring 23 current will pass from battery it?through contact spring spring 22, wire 411-. telltale lamp 35, andthrough the common return back to battery 42:). T switch 3i is closedwhile springs and are in contact. current will flow from battery 43.through contacts '23 and 22, wire 46, lamp 27, wire l7. swil h 3i, andthrough the common return 45 back to the battery. When switch 33 isclosed, current will pass from battery l3. through contacts 2'3 and wire46. wire l8, lamps 31 and 3:3.

wire l9. switch 33. and from thence through common return 45 back to thebattery. It will be observed from tracing these circuits that lamps Illand 32 are included in one circuit. lamp 37 is lUClIltlt-il in a secondcircuit. and lamp 35 is included in a third circuit.

When operating the device either treadle 15 or 17 is depressed. whichwill gi e wire 3 a. longitudinal movement, or rather the wire 6 Formingpart of llowden wire 3 will be given a longitudinal movement toward thefront. ire G is connected with a spring (Fig. 7) which is arranged in a.tube 51 in the housing Upon a forward movenient of wire 6. the same willpull downwardly on spring 50 as the Bowden wire 3 has been curved atpoint 552 so as to properly enter the housing 1 from the bottom. Thedownward movement of the spring 50 will cause the downward movement ofthe bar or rod which is connected to an arm 5-.l rigidly secured to theend of the signal arm 9. lVhen the spring 50 is moved downward.

the same is brought under tension and power is conveyed to arm 9 whereby'lhe r'unie is raised pivotally on the shalt 19. Nhen the wire (5 isrelr ised ihe same will move bark to its original position and the armwill drop by gravity to a position in the chamber 20. if desired.however. the it in connection with the lever i at .u of the automobilemay be' made claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

1. In a signal device for vehicles, a hous ing adapted to be secured tothe rear of the vehicle, an arm pivotally mounted in said housing andadapted to swing therefrom,

'a transparent signal arranged on one side of said housing, a lamp forlighting said transparent signal, a lamp for lighting said signal armwhen the same is swung to an exposed position, and a circuit for each ofsaid lamps, both of said circuits including a switch closed by saidsignal arm when the same is swung to an exposed position, and a sourceof current, each of said circuits being provided with a manuallyoperated switch for independently controlling the current to the lamps.

2. Ina signal device for vehicles, a signal 'arm, a housing for saidsignal arm, means for swinging said signal arm into said h0using andfrom said housing, a lamp for lighting said signal arm, atransparentsignal panel, a lamp for li hting said panel, an independentcircuit for each of said lamps, a manually operated switch for each ofsaid circuits, a single source of current for both of said circuits, anda single switch for both of said circuits operated to be closed by saidarm when the same is swung to an exposed position. v

3. In asignal device for vehicles, a pivotally mounted signal armarranged at the rear of the vehicle, manually operated means for movingsaid signal arm, a plurality of lamps arranged adjacent said signal arm,one of said lamps being adapted to light said signal, arm when the sameis moved to a danger position, and the remain ing lamps being adapted toact as a light for a signal plate,a signal plate arranged adjacent saidpivotally mounted arm, a circuit closed by said signal arm when the sameis swung to an exposed position ineluding a telltale lamp in the frontof the vehicle, an independent circuit for each of said remaining lamps,both of said last mentioned circuits including a switch closed by thepivotally mounted arm, a manually operated switch for each of said lastmentioned circuits arranged adjacent said telltale lamp, and shuttermechanism to show whether the first mentioned switch has been operatedto an on and off position.

4. In a signal device for vehicles, a movable signal arm mounted on thevehicle, an electrical switch adapted to be closed by said arm when thearm is moved to an eX- posed position, means for manually operating saidarm so as to move the same to an exposed position, a circuit includingsaid switch, a source of current, and a telltale lamp for giving asignal when said arm has been raised to an exposed position, a pluralityof signal lamps arranged adjacent said arm, one of said lamps lightingsaid arm and the other presenting an auxiliary signal, a manuallyoperated switch arranged adjacent said telltale lamp for each of thelamps positioned adjacent said arm, and telltale means operated by saidswitches for indicating whether or not said lamps adjacent said signalarm are lighted. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE WASHIhGTON BARRINGER.

Witnesses:

RICAHRD F. MACK, HENRY WORTHINGTON.

